Metrospect Salutes La Festa Della Repubblica 2016!

Metrospect Salutes La Festa Della Repubblica 2016!

We’re proud to announce that Metrospect Events is orchestrating the 2016 La Festa Della Repubblica in Philadelphia! The event will take place on East Passyunk Ave. (as it has since 2010), in the heart of one of the city’s most historically Italian neighborhoods—South Philadelphia.

Be sure to clear your calendar for Sunday, June 5, because from 11-7 come rain or shine, Philadelphia will be celebrating all things Italian culture. And you know that since we’re putting the festival on, as the premier event production company in Philadelphia, it’s going to be un inferno di un tempo!

In the meantime between now and June 5, here’s some information to read that’ll help you brush up on what the festival is all about:

What is La Festa?

La Festa Della Repubblica literally translates to Republic Day in English, and is the Italian National Day, celebrated annually on June 2. In 1946, the Italian citizens had to decide what type of government their formerly fascist nation would shift into. The vote came out to approx. 13,000,000 to 11,000,000 in favor of a republic over a monarchy. The celebration commemorates that vote to instill a system of government for Italy, which has been in effect ever since. In other words, La Festa is similar to the Italian version of American Independence Day.

Why celebrate in Philadelphia?

You may be wondering why Philadelphia, an American city, is putting on such a big La Festa celebration, but the answer is simple. It’s because we have a huge Italian-American population here, and we want to pay tribute to one of our city’s most present people!

In the 19th century, Italian immigrants came to Philadelphia in droves in search of a better life. Many of them traveled from the poorest villages in Italy, and settled in the southern section of the city proper. Those pioneers didn’t have an easy time, as they often faced unemployment (due to their trades being in low demand in America as a whole), bigotry and a generally negative public perception. So you can think of Philadelphia’s La Festa as a tribute to those brave pioneers, as well.

South Philadelphia

East Passyunk Ave., where La Festa takes place, is considered the heart of South Philadelphia—an historically Italian neighborhood, and one of the city’s most vibrant. Since Immigrants began to populate that area over 100 years ago, it has been able to maintain a large number of Italian-American homeowners and residents. With famous landmarks such as the Italian Market, South Philadelphia thrives on history and heritage, which we’re honored to tribute by producing La Festa.

This year’s celebration is expected to be as successful as ever, and will include many special guests. 97.5 The Fanatic’s Anthony Gargano will host the spaghetti eating contest, and Philly’s own DJ, Johnny Looch, will take charge of the turntables. The well-revered band Stellar Mojo will also keep spirits up with their high-energy tunes. More entertainers are TBA so keep on the lookout for a full lineup.

So come celebrate with us on June 5, and help us pay our respects to Italy and Philadelphia’s Italian immigrants, through La Festa Della Repubblica. See you there!